Hat box and hat support



p 24, 1958 R. HATCHER, JR

HAT BOX AND HAT SUPPORT Filed June 5, 1967 INVENTOR. ROBERT HATCHER, JR.

H1504, G usl; $1M

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,402,807 HAT BOX AND HAT SUPPQRT Robert Hatchet, Jr., 2444 Wheeler, Indianapolis, Ind. 46218 Filed June 5, 1967, Ser. No. 643,660 6 Claims. (Cl. 2068) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Means for shaping, protecting, storing and carrying a plurality of hats comprising a base having a generally ovally shaped cut-out proportioned and arranged to engage the bottom surface of the brim of a hat and a boss centrally located within the cut-out and arranged to extend upwardly into the crown of the hat; a plurality of forms, each of which is provided with a tubular portion and an outwardly and peripherally extending flange carried intermediate the upper and lower ends of the tubular portion, the lower end of the tubular portion being provided to fit down over the crown of a hat and to engage peripherally the juncture between the brim and crown of the hat, the upper end of the tubular portion being provided to extend upwardly into the crown of a second hat and the flange being provided to engage the bottom surface of the brim of the second hat; and a cover arranged to fit down over the uppermost hat in a stack and to engage peripherally the juncture between the brim and crown of the uppermost hat. In one embodiment of the invention, a tubular carrying case is provided for receiving a base, a plurality of hats, a plurality of forms and a cover, the base and cover being held against transaxial movement in the case.

My invention relates to hat boxes and hat supports, and more particularly to the provision of means for shaping, protecting, storing and carrying a plurality of hats.

Heretofore, hat receptacles have been constructed and arranged to serve as a holder, protector and shape retainer for a single hat. Such receptacles have generally provided means for engaging both the upper and lower surfaces of the brim of a hat and a boss for engaging at least a portion of the crown of the hat. Such hat receptacles have been rather bulky and difiicult to stack in a carrying case or the like.

I have found that a hat will retain its shape, even it put away while it is damp, if the lower surface of the brim of the hat is engaged uniformly by a form having the proper curvature, if the lower portion of the crown is placed down over an upstanding boss and if the juncture between the brim and crown of the hat is engaged peripherally to hold the innermost edge of the brim down into the brim form and the lowermost portion of the crown inwardly against the boss. Thus, I have provided means for storing and shaping a plurality of hats, which means comprises a base having a cut-out for receivably engaging the lower surface of the brim of a hat and an upstanding boss which extends upwardly into and engages the lower portion of the crown of the hat and a plurality of forms, each of which is provided with a tubular portion and an outwardly and peripherally extending flange carried intermediate the ends of the tubular portion. It will be seen, as this description progresses, that the tubular portion of each of the forms is arranged to fit down over the crown of one hat to engage peripherally the juncture between the brim and the crown of the hat and to extend upwardly into the crown of a second hat, the lower surface of the brim of the second hat being engaged by the flange which is carried between the ends of the tubular portion. It will also be seen that one base and a plurality of forms may ice be used to support a plurality of hats in a carrying case without permitting the brims of the hats to be deformed.

It is a primary object of my invention, therefore, to provide apparatus for shaping, protecting, storing and carrying a plurality of hats, which apparatus occupies a minimum amount of space.

Another object of my invention is to provide such an apparatus comprising component parts which may be manufactured rather inexpensively by molding any one of several modern plastic materials to the desired shape.

Still another object of my invention is to provide an apparatus for retaining the shape of a hat which has been cleaned and thereby dampened, which apparatus comprises a cut-out proportioned and arranged to engage uniformly the bottom surface of the brim of a hat to hold the brim in the proper curvature, a boss located centrally within the cut-out and arranged to extend upwardly into the crown of the hat and a tubular form arranged to fit down over the crown of the hat to engage peripherally the juncture between the brim and crown of the hat to hold the innermost edge of the brim downwardly into the cut-out and the lowermost portion of the crown inwardly against the boss.

Still further objects of my invention will appear as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, my invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that change may be made in the specific construction illustrated and described, so long as the scope of the appended claims is not violated.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a base which engages the bottom surface of the brim and the lower portion of the crown of a hat, a hat and a form which fits down over the crown of the hat to engage peripherally the juncture between the brim and crown of the hat;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the hat of FIG. 1 held on the base by the form; and

FIG. 3 is a partially cut-away view showing a base and a plurality of forms contained in a carrying case and arranged to support a plurality of hats.

Referring particularly to the drawings, it will be seen that I have provided a base, indicated generally by the reference numeral 10, having a generally ovaliform cutout 12 for receivably engaging the bottom surface of the brim of a hat, indicated generally by the reference numeral 14, and an upstanding boss 16 centrally disposed within the cut-out 12 and arranged to extend upwardly into the crown of the hat 14.

The cut-out 12 is provided with a curved surface, indicated by the reference numeral 18 in FIG. 2, which is proportioned and arranged to hold the brim of the hat 14 to the proper curvature, thereby to shape the brim. It will be apparent to those skilled in the hat making or hat cleaning art, that brims of hats may have a number of forms, and that the curvature 18 of the cut-out 12 is merely illustrative.

The boss 16 is arranged to engage peripherally the lower portion of the crown of the hat 14, or that portion of the hat 14 which is normally covered with a sweat band, not shown. Although it is not emphasized in the drawings, the boss 16 is preferably a frustum of a cone having an oval base.

When the hat 14 is properly placed on the base 10, i.e., when the brim of the hat 14 is uniformly engaged with the curved surface 18 of the cut-out 12 and the crown of the hat 14 is placed down over the boss 16, a

3 form, indicated generally by the reference numeral 20, is placed down over the hat 14 as shown in FIG. 2. Specifically, the preferred form 20 comprises a tubular portion 22 and an outwardly and peripherally extending flange portion 24 carried intermediate the upper end 26 and lower end 28 of the tubular portion 22, the lower end 28 of the tubular portion 22 being arranged to fit down over the crown of the hat 14, to engage peripherally the juncture between the crown and brim of the hat and to hold the innermost edge of the brim downwardly against the bottom of the cut-out 12 and the lowermost edge of the crown inwardly against the boss 16. By so placing the form 20 down over the hat 14, the hat is held on the base 10 so that the shape of the brim and the lower portion of the crown is retained. I have found that, by retaining the shape of the brim and the lower portion of the crown, the shape'of the entire hat can be satisfactorily retained.

In the illustrative embodiment of my invention, the tubular portion 22 is provided with an enlarged portion 30 adjacent the lower end 28, the enlarged portion 30 being provided to receive the conventional bow 32 on the hat band 34 of the hat '14. It will be apparent that, as an alternative to the provision of the enlarged portion 30, I may provide a cut-out for receiving the bow 32, the cut-out having the shape of the enlarged portion 30.

The tubular portion 22 is preferably a frustum of a hollow cone which has an oval base. Thus, the upper end 26 of the tubular portion 22 may extend upwardly into the crown of a second hat in the same manner that the boss 16 extends upwardly into the crown of the hat 14 while the lower end 28 of the tubular portion 22 is placed down over the crown of the hat 14. The flange 24 is proportioned and arranged to support the bottom surface of the brim of the hat which is placed down over the upper end 26 of the tubular portion 22. Thus, the flange portion 24 and the upper end 26 of the tubular portion 22 correspond, respectively, to the cut-out 12 and the boss 16.

As suggested in FIG. 3, one base 10 and a plurality of forms 20 may be used to support and retain the shape of a plurality of hats, the base 10 and forms 20 being stacked in a telescopic relation with each form being arranged to fit down over one hat and to support the brim and lower crown portion of another hat. Of course, the hats are not visible in FIG. 3.

In some cases, it may be desirable to support a plurality of hats in a carrying case, such as the carrying case indicated generally by the reference numeral 36 in FIG. 3. In the illustrative embodiment of my invention, the carrying case 36 is a generally cylindrical, tubular carrying case having an open end, indicated generally by the reference numeral 38, and a closed end, indicated generally by the reference numeral 40. A handle 42 is pivotally connected to the carrying case 36 intermediate the ends 38 and 40', as indicated by the reference numeral 44. The open end 38 is closed by a lid 46 which is a generally discoid member having a peripherally extending skirt 48 which receivably engages the cylindrical wall of the carrying case 36 adjacent the open end 38. As is conventional with hat boxes, the skirt 48 frictionally engages the wall of the carrying case and, therefore, the lid 46 will not come off unless it is manually pulled in the direction of the arrow 50.

Preferably, the outer edge 52 of the base 10 is engaged with the inside surface of the cylindrical wall of the carrying case 36 to restrain the base from moving transaxially relative to the carrying case.

As a matter of convenience, I have provided a cover 54 which is arranged to fit down over the crown of the uppermost hat in a stack of hats, the cover 54 being, essentially, the same as a form 20, except that the cover 54 is not provided with a flange corresponding to the flange 24.

Preferably, the lid 46 is provided with an axially extending boss 56 having a centrally-located recess 58 which is arranged receivably to engage the upper end of the cover 54 and to prevent the cover 54 from moving transaxially relative to the carrying case 36. Thus, in the preferred embodiment of my invention, the base 10 at the closed end 40 and the cover 54 at the open end 38 are restrained from moving transaxially relative to the carrying case 36.

Since the base 10 and cover 54 are restrained against transaxial movement relative to the carrying case 36 and since the forms 20 and the hats supported on the forms 20 are generally very light of weight, it will only be necessary to provide one axially extending guide, such as the illustrated guide 60, which is diametrically opposed to the handle 42 and which is arranged to support the flange portions 24 of the forms 20 when the carrying case 36 is carried by the handle 42.

Of course, it will be necessary to provide various sizes of the base 10, form 20 and cover 54. That is, a size 7 hat must be supported on a base 10 and held by a form 20 which are of a size corresponding to the size 7 hat.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus of the class described comprising a base having a generally ovaliform cut-out proportioned and arranged to engage uniformly the bottom surface of the brim of a hat, thereby to shape the brim of the hat, and a boss centrally disposed within the cut-out and arranged to extend upwardly into the crown of said hat, and at least one form having an upstanding tubular portion and an outwardly and peripherally extending flange portion carried intermediate the upper and lower ends of said tubular portion, the lower end of said tubular portion being arranged to fit down over the crown of said hat, to engage peripherally the juncture between the crown and brim of said hat and to hold the innermost edge of the brim downward against the bottom of said cut-out and the lowermost edge of the crown inwardly against said boss, said flange being proportioned and arranged to engage the bottom surface of the brim of a second hat, thereby to shape the brim of the second hat, and the upper end of said tubular portion being arranged to extend upwardly into the crown of the second hat.

2. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein the lower end of said tubular portion is provided with an enlarged portion for receiving the conventional bow on the hat band of the hat.

3. An apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising a cover arranged to fit down over the crown of the second hat, said cover being arranged to enclose entirely the crown of the second hat, to engage peripherally the juncture between the crown and brim of the second hat and to hold the innermost edge of the brim of the second hat downwardly against said flange and the lowermost edge of the crown of the second hat inwardly against the tubular portion.

4. An apparatus as in claim 3 further comprising a genarlly cylindrically shaped carrying case having an open end and closed end, said base being positioned in said closed end so that said boss extends axally toward said open end, the outer edge of said base being engaged with the inner wall of said case to restrain said baseagainst transaxial movement relative to said case, and means for closing said open end, said closing means comprising means for securing said cover against transaxal movement relative to said case.

5. An appartus as in claim 4 wherein said closing means is a generally discoid member having a peripherally extending skirt which receivably engages the said open end and wherein said securing means s a recess centrally positioned in said member and arranged to engage receivably the upper end of said cover.

6. An apparatus of the class described comprising a base having a generally ovaliform cut-out proportioned and arranged to engage uniformly the bottom surface of the brim of a hat, thereby to shape the brim of the hat,

5 6 and a boss centrally disposed within the cut-out and ar- References Cited ranged to extend upwardly into the crown of said hat, UNITED STATES PATENTS and an upstanding tubular form arranged to fit down over the crown of said hat, to engage peripherally the 198,024 12/1877 f f 206 8 juncture between the crown and brim of said hat and 5 209,691 11/1878 Jmkms 206-8 to hold the innermost edge of the brim downwardly against the bottom of said cut-out and the lowermost JOSEPH LECLAIR Exammer' edge of the crown inwardly against said boss. I. M. CASKIE, Assistant Examiner. 

